25 Days of Christmas

 

Well it’s that time of year again and the count down is on! The countdown to Christmas has started and so has my families #25daysofchristmas advent calendar that was started by my friend Andrea at A Peek Inside the Fishbowl  

We have had great fun as a family with this version of the 25 days of Christmas and are excited about doing it again this year for the third year in a row.  You can find the activities we did last year over here. 

With a 2.5 year old and an 8 month old here are the activities we will be doing this year….

 

Saturday December 1- Daddy’s Christmas Party

Sunday December 2- swimming at Mommy’s work

Monday December 3-ice cream sundae desserts

Tuesday December 4- write letter to Santa

Wednesday December 5- bake sugar cookies

Thursday December 6- make paper snowman and decorate

Friday December 7- make your own pizza and movie night

Saturday December 8- biodome

Sunday December 9- decorate Christmas tree

Monday December 10- bake gingerbread cookies

Tuesday December 11- make snowflakes

Wednesday December 12- tubes and jujubes

Thursday December 13- Santa craft

Friday December 14- Christmas Movie and picnic dinner

Saturday December 15- Parc Omega

Sunday December 16- Museum of Civilization & Kids Museum

Monday December 17- visit library

Tuesday December 18- make gingerbread house

Wednesday December 19- taffy lane

Thursday December 20- snowy walk

Friday December 21 colour xmas sheets

Saturday December 22- see Santa

Sunday December 23- swimming Gatineau

Monday December 24- open 1 present

Tuesday December 25- Santa comes!! 

 

It is so fun now seeing our son get really excited about different activities and watch his eyes light up.  I can’t wait to see his amazement Christmas morning!!

 

 

Sesame Halloween

 

We went to the Museum of Civilization on Saturday morning for some Sesame Street fun.  We had a great time and lucked out by ensuring we were there early and beating a lot of the crowds.  Of course Elmo, Cookie Monster and Abby Cadabby were the highlights for many there was still some great other fun to be had….and we got to meet all three of them! Cookie  and pumpkin decorating stations were set up as well.  With kids in costumes and Halloween celebrations underway it was definitely fun for the whole family.

 

 

 

 

To my brother…..

Dear brother,

Some thoughts to share with you…..

I drive down the road to dads and right before I turn on to his road I look down the other way. I think “that’s where it happened.” I can’t drive there without thinking of the horrible day.

I look at the sweet baby girl I have been blessed with and wish that you would have been able to hold in her your big strong arms like you did to her older brother.

I think how you are supposed to still be here to protect this sweet girl as she grows up and scare away all the boys. I had many hopes of how you would be involved in my child’s life should I ever have a baby girl. But you are not here on this earth. Because you can’t do it we asked Chris to by her godfather. The next best thing to you. You grew up together, played together, got into mischief together, became men together. It just seemed right. I want my daughter to know about you. How wonderful and amazing you were.

I still get emails from a hotel as a preferred guest addressed to you from
when I booked a hotel for you when you went with friends to Montreal. It’s like if I hit “unsubscribe” it’s another way to make it permanent that you are not here. Not that it’s not already horrifically permanent enough. But every few months an email comes in….Dear Dan…..

I have a lot of your old report cards and some things from school. Don’t worry I won’t show them to anybody. They are safe and sound in your own personal file. I know you wouldn’t want anybody to look at them but man did you ever do good in gym and tech. Math & science…..mmmm….not your thing?! 😉

I just bought Dominic some more zip up pj’s. You know…the ones with the feet in them? Every time I zip them up I think of the time when you were his age and you zipped up a little too fast and kind of snagged your man parts. Eeek! Sorry bud….must have reeaaaaalllly hurt! I think you learned to zip slowly after that.

You know I like my chicken fried….cold beer on a Friday night…..a pair of jeans that fight just right and the radio up….. This song reminds me of you. It pops into my head randomly, I love playing it on my iPod and sometimes the kids and I have dance parties to it.

Some days go by fast and some seem a little bit longer. One thing that doesn’t change is that you are thought of often, still loved to the moon and back and missed largely.

Love
Sis
xo

On The Day I Turned TWO….

I woke up and got to watch Choo Choo’s AND Cars!

I rode my kick a$$ new balance bike that my mommy and daddy bought me.

I went to see Daddy at lunch and we went out to a restaurant.

This is me telling my Mom to put the camera away!

After lunch my mom, Bella and I all had a nap together. This is after my nap.  I think I got the bed a little wet.

After dinner and bath I put my pi’s on and had some time alone with Mom at the store.  Since I’m TWO now I ride on the back of the cart. I have to be reminded to hold on because sometimes I jump off and my mom runs over me a little.

2nd Birthday Fun!

All showered and has no idea that today is PARTY DAY!

 

Pretty in pink and ready to celebrate her brothers 2nd Birthday

 

Warming up for the day with some outdoor play

 

Kitchens is ready for pizza and cake! Complete with Thomas the Train.

 

Outside playing with airplanes. Daddy brings all the fun stuff 🙂

 

Of course we need an airport for the planes! Thanks to J for making this one!!

 

mmmm CAKE!

 

It’s past my nap time and today has already been a big day!

 

Cooling off after Party #1 and getting ready for family to come.

 

Mama hanging out with Bella

 

More Yummy Dessert

 

Sharing hugs with Poppy

 

Holiday Traditions

In the past our Holidays have always been filled with travelling between families and spending time at others homes. We have decided to start a new tradition as a family. We started a little last year but our busy boy was still quite small and was not aware of Christmas being any different from any other day!

We want to start a tradition where our children wake up in their own home every Christmas morning, eager to see if Santa made it to their house. One filled with snuggles in the bed when it’s still too early to really get up and peek under the tree, staying in our comfy pj’s, opening gifts and playing.

It is important to us that we focus on what our needs are as a family and what works best for us. No stress, no worries, no running around.

Christmas Eve this year will be spent with my husband, our busy but cute tot and the little girl inside me who seems to kick and move non-stop these days 🙂 My mom has mentioned that she may join us for the evening as well. The plan is for quiet dinner, snuggles in pj’s, possibly a family Christmas movie and then off to bed for D as mommy and daddy prepare for everything under the tree.

With a child who thinks 4:45a.m. is the new wake up time since the time change I am sure we will be up Christmas morning bright and early and ready to celebrate the day together. My in-laws will be joining us Christmas morning to share in the joy of watching D open up gifts and look of joy when he discovers new things.

I remember as a child spending every Christmas morning at home, with my family. Grandparents would come for visits, we would enjoy time together and relax.

What are some of your holiday traditions? Do you travel or stay close to home? Whatever you chose to do remember to pause and enjoy it.Breathe it all in!

I’m Reaching Out

I did something today that I wouldn’t normally do.  I needed to do it for me. Why? Because I have been thinking lately of people I have enjoyed having around me.  I reached out to somebody who was in my life for a few years and then kind of disappeared.  This person was nice to have around and I always got along with them.  We weren’t best friends but she did get to know myself and family pretty well.  Then something happened and we went separate ways. Not necessarily by choice but because two people made an adult decision and I wish them both the best.  There was a break up. Those can be sticky and I have no idea what exactly happened, nor do I really have a need to know.  Let me just call this person “gal” just for the heck of it.  “Gal” was there for my engagement (she actually gave my husband the idea of how he would purpose), was at my bridal shower, baby shower and was eager for the birth of Dom.  She never met him and I thought often of how she used to talk in excitement and she never got to see him.  I wanted that. Sometimes when walking near her work with him I wondered if she was there.  I finally said this is silly just reach out to her to see if she would like to go for coffee and she can decide if she would like to or would rather not.  So I did. I reached out and she eagerily responded to my reach out. We are going for coffee!

Ever thought of somebody in your past and wondered what could have happened if you would have reached out? Listen to your thoughts, you have the power to bring them to life.